The Young Firelord
by TheNoblePersian
Summary: After the war, Zuko must establish his reign over the tumultuous Fire Nation. Will he succeed? And will he find love along the way? And can Aang stay a loyal friend to the Fire Nation?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. I don't own any Avatar: the Last Airbender.

Please read and review. Tell me what you think! :3

_Ozai pulled his arm back, getting ready to send that final blow, the one that would forever leave my face that of a monster's._

Zuko woke with a start, pouring sweat. His father's face had been plaguing my dreams recently, giving him fitful nights of sleep, causing him to be tired.

_The war is over._ He told himself. _I need to relax._

Rolling out of bed, Zuko snatched up his heavy red robes, wrapping them around his lean frame.

The sun was just peaking around the edges of the heavy curtains covering the grand windows in the Firelord's chambers. Regardless of how dark Zuko kept the room, and even if he was as tired as a corpse, he always rose with the sun.

The new Firelord walked down the magnificent hallways, making his way to his favorite spot in the palace; the turtle-duck pond.

As he sat watching the mother teaching her babies how to swim in the early spring morning, a messenger came into the courtyard, bowing low.

Zuko motioned for the man to deliver his news, so he could be back to his peace, so rare in his new position.

"Sir, the ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe should arrive within an hour."

His only eyebrow shot up. Perhaps his tedious day wouldn't be tedious at all.

"Thank you. Is that all?"

"Yes sir." The man bowed once more and scuttled out of the courtyard.

The Firelord knew that his lack of formality with his staff and subjects set them on edge, used to a century living in fear.

Barely dressed, and with his shaggy hair hanging around his ears, Zuko made his way back to his chambers to ready himself for the day.

About a dozen servants tried to offer him various foods and services to help him dress. Waving most of them off, he took his crown from one, and an apple from another.

As their supreme ruler started to unfasten his robes, the servants melted away, knowing they had been dismissed.

Zuko walked to his closet. Excited to see a certain person that day, the anticipation curled in his stomach. He dug through rows and rows of royal robes. He normally didn't care what he wore much, so long as it was comfortable and decent looking, but with the ambassador on their way, he knew he needed to dress to impress.

He snorted._ Heck, I'm the Firelord! I should look pretty damn impressive in anything!_

Deciding to go with the traditional red and black day robes, Zuko backed out of his mammoth of a closet to finish getting dressed.

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The whole royal entourage had to come with him, of course. Even if the Southern Ambassador was one of his closest friends, it was also a political event, meaning the entire council and all the advisors were present.

Zuko sighed, impatient to be able to get to just be with his friend. He knew it would be hours before all the formalities were over.

The small water tribe ship came just into view, entering the harbor mouth, making its way to the docks.

Zuko paced, patience never one of his virtues.

For what felt like an eternity, he waited. Waited for the boat to dock, unload, and all its precious passengers to make their way up the steep mountain to the palace.

When the whole Southern Water Tribe Group had made its way to the grand room they were going to be meeting in for the next couple months, Zuko's eyes scanned the small crowd looking for _her._

He was distracted as the ambassador from the South popped up into his face.

"Hey, Zuko! How's it going?" he asked, his excitement bubbling over.

"Oh, hi, Sokka. Did your sister come with you this time?"

Yes, Sokka was the Southern Water Tribe's ambassador. Zuko hadn't understood why _Sokka _of all people, was selected to negotiate the political interests of a whole_ nation._

"Oh, yeah. Katara is somewhere around here. Why are you so interested anyway?" He asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"I…was just wondering. It's been a long time since the Gaang has been together."

Appeased for the time being, and immediately distracted by the servants uncovering a long table covered in food, Sokka abandoned his conversation with Zuko in the interests of his stomach.

Chained to his duties as Firelord, Zuko was stuck greeting all the members of the Southern Water Tribe. He wished to start a search for that water bender, but was swamped with overly excited greetings and bows.

Finally spotting Katara, he felt tempted to push his way out of the corner he had been backed into just to run over and greet her.

Noticing his tortured look from across the room, Katara caught his eye, giving him an apologetic smile and a reassuring nod.

She worked her way across the room towards the Firelord's prison, gracefully weaving around people. Having experience distracting people, she pushed her way to the front of the line of admirers.

"Firelord Zuko," she bowed respectfully, a show he knew, watching the mirth dance in her eyes. "Your Uncle Iroh requests to visit you immediately and apologizes for the timing."

He smirked at her terrible excuse, but taking any escape he could, nodded and said royally, "Then I shall visit him at one. Please accompany me, Katara."

Breaking out of his corner, swept his robes out behind him, overdoing the regal thing, trying to make Katara laugh.

His success came in the form of a few suppressed giggles from her adorable lips as she took his arm and they strolled out of the room.

Once free of the royal demands of the room, Katara burst into a full on laugh, quickly losing her breath.

"Oh, your Majesty, how graceful you are!"

Feeling a little self-conscious, Zuko blushed lightly, grateful for the dim lighting in the hallways. He looked into her eyes that were as deep and as blue as the ocean, and said, "Thank you."

It was said so quietly, and so sincerely, that Katara stopped laughing to look up into his golden eyes.

Her breath caught in her chest, both of them tearing their eyes away, color flooding their cheeks.

He was the first to break the silence that had ensued. "Would you like to see Uncle?"

"I would love that," she replied, a small smile playing across her lips.

"Welcome to the Fire Nation. Again."

They walked down the hall, falling into the footsteps of old friendship.

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Pleasepleaseplease review? :D They mean the world to me! Let me know what you think, and what I could do to improve, and I will consider requests, too!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Yupp, same stuff. I don't own A:tLA.

A BIG thank you to Kimberly T. for the review! That stuff helps me out!

The rating is for later chapters so don't be disappointed. But I have to have a plot, not just fluff. Though, fluff isn't always bad. ENEEWAYYS.. here's the story!

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Iroh looked up from his cup of tea as two figures entered his sitting room. His nephew, and a girl. Not just any girl, but the water tribe girl that he knew Zuko fancied.

"Zuko, Katara! What a pleasant surprise!"

"Uncle," Zuko said. "Boy, am I glad that you're here!" Zuko walked over to the older man, wrapping his arms around him.

Katara watched as Zuko revealed a softer side of himself. Something that was rare, and reserved for those closest to him.

After they had finished embracing, Iroh turned to Katara, "How was the journey here?"

"Much like any other long trip. Long." She laughed.

Zuko held back a smile at her pathetic attempt at a joke. She should have left humor to Sokka.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Iroh asked.

Zuko actually smiled now, stress melting off his face making him look almost – well…like a teenager again.

"Well, Uncle. That's a rather funny story there." He turned to Katara, giving her a smile as warm as the fire he could bend, and melting her insides with its heat. She blushed, but wouldn't admit her feelings for the Firelord, even to herself. "I was trapped in the banquet room, trying to fend off dozens of dignitaries from the Southern Water Tribe. They had backed me into a corner, but Katara came to my rescue, dragging me away, using the excuse that you had wanted to see me."

Iroh laughed heartily, his shoulders shaking. "Zuko, you are lucky for Katara getting you out of that reception. Those dreadful things can last all night!"

"I was resigned to my fate, Uncle." He once again smiled at Katara.

The Dragon of the West watched with growing wonder at the softer side of his nephew was on open display. He knew that Zuko only let his guard down around them because he trusted them both implicitly. The extreme, and unusual, care he showed for the young water bender was not unnoticed by the old general, causing him even more amazement.

Wanting to see more of how the two interacted, Iroh invited them to sit for tea, pouring them both steaming cups of jasmine tea; his own personal favorite. They sat around a small table, sipping their tea, and enjoying each other's company. For nearly an hour they talked and laughed, reminiscing about old times, and talking of plans for the future. Finally, Uncle Iroh proclaimed that he had some things to catch up on while he was visiting the Fire Nation from his tea shop in Ba Sing Se.

He ushered the pair out of his room, telling to find something to do with the remainder of their evening, other than boring activities such as political parties and having tea with old men. Standing in the hallway outside of Iroh's chambers, Zuko looked to Katara for an idea for their time.

"You know," she said, "I've never had a tour of the Fire Nation palace with the Firelord as my guide." She smiled at him just so that Zuko was sure he would have done anything for her at that moment.

Trying to maintain composure, and _not_ tell her all of his feelings right at that moment, he smiled. "There's a first for everything," he remarked, smiling.

_I'm smiling more tonight than I have over my whole life _he thought to himself, blaming the slim water bender beside him for his buoyant mood.

He led the young woman through the long hallways, answering her questions, and basically being the tour guide of her life.

She was mesmerized the entire time. Not by the architecture or paintings pointed out by the young Firelord, but by the way he talked, the way he moved, so elegant and powerful at the same time.

He brought the private tour to an end at his favorite spot; the turtle-duck pond. He heard a quick intake of breath from his companion as she took in the beautiful courtyard.

"It's my favorite place," he said, almost shrugging.

"This is beautiful," she whispered, unwilling to break the calm and tranquility of the sunset-kissed courtyard.

"My mother and I would come and feed the turtle-ducks as much as we could. She would tell me goofy stories of lost baby turtle-ducks."

Katara's heart warmed as he told her of his past, opening himself even more to her friendship and care.

He was so unused to have others care about him for just who he was. Only his Uncle Iroh had seen past his title and manners, until he had been accepted into the strangest group he would ever know, led by the Avatar himself.

Zuko sat down on a bench, pulling Katara along to sit next to him, making her blush once again by the contact. Just knowing he affected her in such a strong way, making her blush just by touching her hand, lifted his heart, and made him bold.

Their legs were practically touching.

_He is the FIRELORD_ Katara thought to herself._ There is no way I should even think he would like me like that. _

The urge to kiss the most beautiful water bender in the world swept over Zuko, but logic trumped. He knew that it could make things strained and awkward between them if she wasn't ready for such a change in their relationship. Such a big step forward from friendship.

He sighed internally, wishing that he could just _know. _Girls could make life so complicated.

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Katara woke up slowly and deliciously, stretching every muscle in her body. She was reveling in the fact that she was finally, finally in a real bed, complete with silk sheets. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked around her small guest chamber.

She was grateful for the lack of red in this room. It was a reprieve from the rest of the palace, a small haven she could retreat to once her eyes hurt from all the red.

The bedding was a light green, reminding her of open grass fields. She slid her legs out of bed, sitting up, and her feet meeting cool wooden floors.

After a few seconds of further inspection, she spotted the door to her personal wash room. Inside it was much the same as her room. Green and brown, but with blue accents.

She smiled, thinking about the day ahead of her. Meetings wouldn't start until next week, so she and the rest of the Water Tribe posse had the day free to roam the palace and royal city.

She knew that Zuko would be up to his ears in paperwork today, but he had promised to meet her for lunch.

Unable to help smiling at the thought that she, Katara, was having lunch with Firelord Zuko, she prepared herself for the morning with a bounce in her step.

She met the rest of her tribe's people in a large room designated for their eating during their stay. Finding an empty seat next to Sokka, who groaned at the sound of her approach.

"Make the light stop being so bright," he mumbled, clearly hung over from last night's festivities.

"Too much to drink, Sokka?"

He just groaned again in response.

She briefly left, returning with a cup of tea. "Now, Sokka, I want you to drink this – _all_ of it – and then go back to bed for a few hours."

Trusting his sister's better judgment, he drank all of the foul smelling tea in one gulp, left the dining are to go nap.

Quickly getting her own meal, she went to sit at the table where her father was in a deep conversation about fishing with some of the other tribesmen. Having no interest, but wanting to listen to the men talk nonetheless, she sat, taking bites of fruit, watching the men become more animated with their tales of fishing adventures.

A messenger walked into the room, immediately capturing everyone's attention.

"Firelord Zuko requests to see Katara of the Southern Water tribe in his office, immediately."

Surprised, Katara left her food half-eaten and followed the messenger out of the room. The messenger announced her to Zuko when she arrived at his office.

The giant desk the Firelord sat behind seemed dwarfed by the large stacks of paper on and around it. Just Zuko's head was visible over the mountain in front of him.

He seemed distracted, barely acknowledging her arrival. Servants bustled about, carrying more papers, along with drinks for both her and the Firelord. She took the small glass of water, preparing herself for a wait.

Finally returning to the same world that Katara was in, he motioned for her to sit.

"Good morning," he greeted, not forgetting his manners _completely_.

"Good morning," she returned, her eyebrows rose questioningly.

"I know you're surprised at this. I'm sorry to have called you away from breakfast." He smiled, for some reason intent on her chin.

Katara touched her chin, mortified to find fruit juice still present. She quickly wiped it off, blushing fiercely, to Zuko's great amusement.

Finally sobering, he continued, "This seems odd, but I have a political question for you. I hate to rope you into my paper work, but I need another point of view from all the stuffy old men trying to get their way."

"What can I do?" she asked, agreeing to help.

Zuko waved his arm, dismissing all the servants from the room. He leaned on his desk, propping his head up on his arms. Stress beyond his years was etched into his face, worrying his friend across the desk. "Zuko, what's wrong?" Katara asked.

He sighed. "The Fire Nation was at war for a hundred years. Not everyone is accepting my new rule and plans for peace. There have been reports of rebel activity, and people burning farms, and even _towns_. A whole village went up in smoke last week."

Shock froze Katara's face. She didn't know what to say, didn't know how to help. She wanted to reach out, to somehow ease Zuko's stress.

"It's hard to get the army out there, but the rebels, all they really want is a fight, another reason to not accept me as Firelord. All of my advisors want to crush the resistance, but they're my people. I can't use violence to keep my position as Firelord."

"I think Iroh would be more help than me, but I will think about it, and try to find something that might help."

"Thank you, Katara," he said, smiling weakly. "I will see you at lunch."

Clearly dismissed, Katara left the room, a smile on her lips from just thinking about her lunch plans. She needed something to occupy her during the eternity between breakfast and lunch, so she wandered around, searching for a suitable activity to distract her mind.

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Zuko smiled. Katara's visit had lifted his mood, as had progress in the mammoth amount of paperwork. Although he still had miles of policies to read through, he was ahead of schedule, and unable to concentrate on another word. He pushed his chair back from the desk, stood, and stretched with his arms above his head.

He wanted to be outside, wanted to _move_, so he made his way towards the arena, wanting to practice his bending. He could hear the sound of moving water as he got near the place where he and Katara had defeated Azula, and he smiled, thinking of Katara inside that very arena practicing her water bending.

_I wonder if she would be up for a duel_ he thought idly.

After he rounded the corner of the entrance to the arena, Zuko was frozen with shock, as if Katara had purposefully stuck him to the ground. His mouth gaped open at what was happening in the Agni Kai arena. Katara and Aang were sparring, using only water bending.

_When did the Avat – Aang get here?_

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**PLEASE** review? It makes me so very happy :3 Tell me what you think, and if you have any suggestions!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own A:tLA blah blah blah.

Again, Kimberly T. thank you so much for your insight!

What I use in case I forget something, avatar(dot)wikia(dot)com/wiki/Avatar_Wiki

I'm having a lot of fun writing this. I hope you enjoy reading it just as much, if not even more! ^_^

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Distracted by Zuko's presence, if not surprised to see him unearthed from the mountain of papers, Katara lost her concentration, water whip falling in mid-air while Aang's attack hit home, soaking her.

The look on her face would have made Zuko smile at the least, but the jealousy and shock were enough to keep him from even noticing her priceless expression. His back warmed and his face turned red, thoughts of the Avatar alone with Katara marched through his head. He was angered even further when he realized Katara was just in her underclothes; what she normally wore to practice water bending.

"Zuko," she said.

"When did _he_ get here?" he asked, violently pointing at the Avatar, making the boy shrink an inch or so.

"Katara, I am _so_ sorry for hitting you with that water," he apologized, sheepish. "I didn't know that you were gonna – "

"Aang, it's fine," she assured him, bending the water from her clothes, letting the water fall to the ground in a splash.

Silence hung in the air, heavy and unmoving as Zuko glared at Aang, the Firelord wishing that the boy was far, _far_ away. Trying to save the situation, Aang said, "It's great to see you again, Zuko!"

"When did you get here?" Zuko asked, again.

"Uhh… well just about an hour ago. Katara ran into me while she was walking around, and she wanted something to do, so we decided to spar." He chuckled, nervous at the Firelord's apparent anger.

"Can I have a moment with Katara?" His voice was ice cold.

"Sure," Aang said, and scurried out of the courtyard.

"Zuko! What's gotten into you?" She was angry at him for his anger, and for being so rude to Aang.

"Do you practice water bending with him like that all the time? Or do you occasionally decide clothes would be a good idea?" His face was a deep shade of red, matching his robes.

"I'll have you know, I _always_ practice like this!" Her rage was building, close to a boiling point as she roared at Zuko.

They were leaning towards each other, heavy scowls on their faces. "Why do you even care?" she asked.

"I ask you for your advice, because I _actually_ want your opinion, yet you blow it off, saying my uncle would be better help. He has helped me with a lot, but I asked _you!_ I decided to ask you because I thought you would want to help, and that you would give it some thought. I still want your help, but only if you're willing to actually put effort into it, and not just go off and find something amusing for you to do. It's not like you to just push people's cares aside when they come to you for help." He finished his heated tirade, breathing heavily. "This is important to me Katara. "It's my _people_ who are being hurt."

He left her there, standing speechless, as he turned and left the arena. She knew he was right, and she so desperately wanted to help him, but had no idea what advice to offer. She hung her head, tears stinging her eyes, yet she was unwilling to let them fall. Having handled Zuko's trust in her counsel so poorly, she felt determination kindle in her stomach, not only to give Zuko her thoughts, but see it through until peace was settled over the Fire Nation.

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He wasn't sorry for what he had said; only sorry in the way he had said it. It was almost lunch time, and he feared Katara wouldn't want to see him for the rest of the day for how he had yelled at her. He motioned a messenger over to him anyway.

"Tell Katara of the Southern Water Tribe that I am looking forward to meeting her for lunch in fifteen minutes."

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Katara was past surprised when the messenger found her. She had been sure that Zuko wouldn't even want to look at her again today. Not that she wanted to see his face either. It was as much as an apology as she would get from Zuko, and she knew that, but it didn't dull the sting.

Determined to make the best of her upcoming visit with Zuko, she knew she would have to apologize. She sent word back with the messenger that she was looking forward to seeing him for lunch.

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He waited, sitting at a table in the dining hall, scanning the room and checking the entrances for Katara. A sigh passed through his lips. He _hated_ waiting. To pass the time, he thought about what he wanted to say to her. All of the times he had wanted to tell her his feelings towards her.

Lost in thought, he didn't see the object of his distractions take her seat across from him.

"Zuko – "

"Katara – " they both began at the same time. "You first," Zuko said, smiling.

"I'm sorry. You were right. I didn't put any thought into what you asked." She looked down at her hands, resting on her lap. She was truly sorry. At first she had been mad, but the truth had finally surfaced in her mind, and it was Zuko's words that rang clear in her thoughts.

His face softened in a smile. "I'm sorry, too," he said. "I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"But – "

He waved his hand, cutting her off. "Let us be done with this," he said.

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**Short chapter, I know. Which makes it worse that it took me so long to upload! D:**

**I had come down with a severe case of lazies. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Tell me what you think in a REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I still don't any of A:tLA *sigh*

Well, here is the next chapter. Sorry for the wait D: Please review anyway? :D

Another thank you to my reviewers and all of you readers!

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Katara sat and watched Sokka as he painted, trying to figure out just _what_ he was trying to immortalize on the parchment in front of him.

"Sokka, what are you painting?"

"Shhh, don't interrupt a master at work," he whispered.

"Some master," she snorted.

He didn't respond, only bent even further over his work, his nose inches from the wet ink. Rolling her eyes, an idea suddenly came to her. It struck her, leaving her mind blank of all but that one thought.

Paint.

She turned away from Sokka, running through his quarters and out his door, tearing down the hallway heading in the direction of Zuko's office.

"What?" Sokka asked to no one.

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Zuko looked up from some request for medical supplies to small villages, his gaze moving from the paper in his hands to the doors across the room from him. He wanted so desperately to get out and go do _something_.

He needed to meditate. He had thought that having his friends here would have helped soothe his mind, but having Katara so near him every day – it made it worse. She threw Zuko's emotions all over the place. One minute he was happy to see her, the next he was angry enough to yell at her.

His feelings for that water peasant were getting in the way of him thinking like a rational person.

_When did I even start to like her?_ He asked himself.

Not only were his love-life issues resting on his shoulders, the palace staff was lacking in its past efficiency. Since Azula had banished most of the servants, Zuko had had to first find some messengers, then send them out to find as much of the previous staff as possible. Things had been a mess. With all the foreign ambassadors arriving for the peace negotiations coming shortly the next week, the servants were overtaxed. Messages of importance weren't reaching the Firelord.

_Like Aang arriving here_ he thought.

He had tried to be easy on the staff, giving them time to regroup and get back to working order, but a slip-up like this was hard to let pass.

_Though Aang _does _tend to just drop in whenever he sees fit._

He pushed away from his desk, going to the doors, surprising his guards at his sudden exit. He stormed down the hallway towards his private chambers, where he _knew_ he wouldn't be disturbed.

He sat in front of a low table, several candles standing as silent observers to his meditation. He breathed in and out, the flames flickering under his control. He settled into the familiar rhythm, first clearing his mind of thoughts, then letting them slowly trickle back in to be evaluated and dealt with.

Unsurprisingly, his first thought was of Katara. He knew that it would take time to sort through his feelings for her, and tried to order his thoughts.

_I have to do what's right. She is with Aang. _

He wanted to kick himself for his outburst about her training attire. He _knew_ she trained like that every time, being a part of Aang's teaching crew.

_I just wish I was the only man to ever see her dressed in –_

Unwilling to continue down that path, he pushed all thoughts of that unbearably beautiful water bender away, focusing on other things, like _Sokka_ being an ambassador, and if that would be disastrous for the upcoming peace talks.

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Katara rounded the final corner on her path to Zuko's royal chambers. With some annoyance, she spotted the two guards posted outside his door.

"I need to see the Firelord," she stated, trying to sound official.

"Firelord Zuko is not to be disturbed," one of the guards said, clearly not the negotiating type. What a stick in the mud.

"This is important!" Katara almost hissed at them in frustration. She knew how important this was to Zuko, and with the peace talks so soon, if her plan were to work, it would have to happen immediately.

"Please be on your way, miss."

"Fine," she said, turning to walk down the hall, "Sifu Poop-head," she breathed.

"Wait," the second guard said, having followed her down the hall. "I will let him know that you were asking to see him," he smiled, _much _nicer than Sifu Poop-head back there.

Aimlessly wandering the vast halls, she was eventually pulled to the great outdoors, and found herself in the same beautiful garden Zuko had shown her on her first night here. She smiled at the memory, amazed at how much he had changed since the first day she had met the tortured prince.

The confidence in his step, the power in his words; it was so obvious that he was a leader. A strong one, too.

"Hey, Katara," a bright voice chirped, breaking her from her thoughts.

"Oh, hey, Aang," she replied, trying so hard for his benefit to be all that he wanted from her.

"Are you and Zuko okay?" he asked, genuine concern coloring his voice and creasing his brow.

"What? Oh, yeah, we are."

"That's good." Relief washed over the young Avatar. He hated to see his friends at odds with each other.

He sat down on the stone bench near them, pulling Katara along with him. It made her think of the same action, only a different man. Guilt tugged at her stomach, she knew she couldn't keep forcing herself to love Aang as more than a friend. It wasn't fair to Aang . . . or herself.

"Aang…" she pulled against his arms which were wrapping themselves around her waist.

"What, Katara?" he murmured, his face so close to hers, causing her a state of personal panic. She couldn't do this anymore. She had thought that she could love him, but she had been wrong, and had misjudged herself.

Whenever he held her close, to her, it felt like hugging Sokka. Whenever he kissed her, it made her want to squirm. It didn't feel right. Back in Ba Sing Se, she had set her mind to be his, but she didn't know that her heart wasn't hers to give anymore.

Aang leaned in, his hand guiding her chin to meet his lips in a kiss, when Katara jumped up.

"I'm sorry, Aang. I can't do this!" She ran from the garden crying.

The Avatar sat there, his mouth open in a wide "O," too shocked to react.

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**A/N:** Oh, poor Aang. Does he not realize Zutara is inevitable? I think Zuko needs the same enlightenment, too. Poor, tortured souls.

I know, what a terrible place to stop! And with such a short chapter? If you review, you might thwart my malicious plan to let these fine young men to continue to suffer! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of A:tLA, because if I did, the show would've ended Zutara :3

Thank you all for all the lovely reviews, and to all you readers! You keep me going strong! Sorry for the wait!

Now, back to what you've been waiting for…**THE STORY!**

….

Zuko was walking down the hallway leading away from his own private chambers when he heard something behind him. He turned to the sound, and was nearly knocked down by Katara, who was currently crying, running towards some unknown destination.

Not even pausing to see who she had nearly flattened, the water bender ran on, tears streaming down her face.

_What the hell?_ He thought, frozen in place. _What's going on?_

"Katara!" Zuko heard Aang calling from a distance, his boyish voice strained. They Avatar followed his voice, running towards Zuko from the same direction Katara had run from. "Did you see which way she went?"

Zuko almost pointed in the direction that she had run off in. "What happened?" He asked with narrowed eyes. _If he hurt her…_

He didn't finish his thought, surprised at his protectiveness over Katara.

"I don't know," Aang cried out, a few tears slipping down his face. "We were in the garden, and it was fine, then she just got up and ran away!"

When Aang turned to leave, Zuko grabbed his arm, stopping his movement.

"Zuko! I have to go after her and see what's wrong!"

"Maybe she needs some alone time," the fire bender suggested. _Or someone to talk to other than _you.

"But, she was so upset," he nearly whimpered. Zuko couldn't help but see him as the boy he was.

"Aang, trust me on this one, and wait to talk to her at least for a little bit."

"Okay," he agreed, sniffling and wiping his damp eyes on a sleeve. Turning the way he had come from, the Avatar moped down the hall, shoulders slumped.

Zuko turned in the direction his friend had disappeared, and started walking in a brisk manner.

He didn't know what to expect, or what to say, he only knew of his desire to be the one to comfort Katara; whatever it was that was troubling her. Yet, he was also confused by this need to be the shoulder to lean on.

He found her sitting on one of the window seats, curled up, and crying into her knees. Rushing over to her, he gathered her into his arms and whispered into her unruly hair, "Katara, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing," she choked out.

"Don't lie to me; talk to me. The truth, too."

"I – I just can't!" she wailed.

"Can't what?" he prompted.

"I can't keep pretending. I can't look at him every day, and lie to him about my feelings. I love him, but only as a brother!" Zuko's heart increased its tempo, making the fire bender frown at his happiness while his friend cried in his arms. "Whenever I get mad, he tries to calm me down, but not in the way I need. He makes me feel like a child being chastised by an adult. When I want to lash out at him for that, all I can see his how young he is, and that makes me feel worse." Her tears increased, leaving salty trails down her face.

Zuko just held her tighter, wishing he knew the right words to say to get his dear friend to stop crying. "You deserve better," was all he managed, mentally smacking himself in the face. He wished he could be the better one, but he knew she would never choose him.

Feeling like she was dragging Zuko down into her despair, and much like a burden, she attempted to turn the conversation to him. "How are you and Mai?" she asked, sniffling.

His body tensed like a crouching armadillo-tiger about to attack its prey. "I'd rather not talk about that," he hissed through clenched teeth.

Her own troubles forgotten, and her curiosity piqued to the max, she decided to prod him for more information. "Zuko, I just told you all of my troubles, and surprisingly, it does help to share the burden. Tell me."

Debating whether to tell her or not, the night she left him replayed in his mind.

_She snuggled up closer to him on the couch, her long, silky hair tickling his chin. Her hands played over his chest so lightly, aware of his recent injury._

_ "What happened during the Agni Kai?" she murmured. _

_ "Azula shot lightning at Katara," he replied, not really wanting to tell all the details of that particular duel._

_ Her forehead creased in thought. "Then how come you have the scar?"_

_ "I jumped in front of her to stop Azula from killing her." It had been his most selfless act in his entire life. He, at that one moment where time stood still, had been prepared to die for her._

_ She jumped back from him, as if she had been burned. "You would've _died _for _her_?" she exclaimed, her tone bitter, and laced with anger._

_ "She's my _friend_, Mai," he replied, stressing his platonic relationship with his water bending _friend_. "I would have done the same thing if it had been Sokka, or even Toph."_

_ Her voice was like ice, so cold and emotionless, "I know what it's like to risk your life – to risk everything – for the one you love." She quickly got up, with her head bowed, she turned to leave the room. "We're done. Good bye Zuko."_

He had tried for months to get her to come back. He had sent letter after letter to her family in Omashu, begging for her return. All to no avail.

He had loved her, but she had left. There was nothing between them now, not even a distant friendship. His heart had been broken at the loss, but he had moved on.

With Katara wrapped so snugly in his arms, his heart began to glow again, his inner fire growing stronger as he realized Mai had been right.

He loved Katara.

"No, Mai and I haven't been together for a while now," he said, a small smile playing on his lips, unseen by the water bender.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.**

**Hey guys! Thank you all for reading! It makes my day! Also, guess who learned how to use horizontal rulers? And now, I shall proceed to fill all my future writings with beautiful, organizational rulers. Enjoy! ^-^**

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><p>Zuko walked along the palace halls, a new bounce in his step. After coming to his newest realization of love, nothing could damper his spirits. Not even the impending peace talks! He marveled at his unusual mood and behavior; he hadn't snapped at anyone in anger for more than an hour!<p>

Why were all the women in his life always right? Mai about his feelings for Katara; and Katara about sharing the burden of his pain. He didn't know if he would be able to handle such _rightness_ on such a regular basis.

While he had sat with his water bending friend, she had told him her thoughts for his rebellion problem. Confessing her time moonlighting as the Painted Lady, she suggested that they personally find the rebel cells to try and sabotage them from the inside.

Although he had wanted to go on the adventure, to do something so active towards the betterment of his nation, he knew that it wasn't much of a possibility. What, with him being the Firelord and the peace talks only days away.

Zuko smiled, a rarity, as he recalled telling Katara more about the situation.

"_Katara, it's a bit more complicated than just going in, and telling them to surrender. The real source of the rebellion isn't just my new reign, and a love of violence. These are real people, with real problems against some very old Fire Nation policies I'm trying to change. Unfortunately, almost my whole council is against me. Apparently old men don't like change; especially when it's led by 'The Exile.'"_

Although she had accepted his reasoning, she seemed disappointed at the fact that she wouldn't be needed as the Painted Lady.

"Firelord Zuko," a servant said, bowing in his lord's presence. "All the councilmen have assembled, and are awaiting your arrival."

"Very well," the young man sighed. He had never been fond of listening to old men drone on about taxes and trade, he knew it was his duty to be there.

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><p>Katara sat, pondering her place in the universe. No, she wasn't stuck to some grate in the Sun Warriors' temple – she was only sitting by the turtle-duck pond, absentmindedly bending the water into small loops and ripples.<p>

She knew Zuko was right, and that going out to meet these rebels would not only be ineffective, but it would risk her life, too. She wasn't above getting her hands dirty in the name of peace, but after all they had worked for, she needed to set some priorities for herself; for her future.

Sighing, she remembered the way Aang's face had frozen in shock when she had pushed him back. In the moments leading up to that event, she had been nervous, yet almost excited at doing something solely for herself.

Now, though, she was having second thoughts. She knew she had hurt him. Her love for him had never changed, but its true nature was now so obvious to her. He would never be more than a friend and brother. How had she been so blind, trying to trick herself into having feelings for him? How could she make things right between them again?

The need for action rose up in her once again. Not that she could just go and spar with Aang. He hadn't even stayed in the same room as her for more than three seconds after his "ordeal." In a huff of frustration, she pushed the water in one wave, sending turtle-ducks squawking and rushing to get out of the wave's path.

She was going to find him and set things right between them, if it was the last thing she did!

Wandering through the palace, looking for Aang, Katara imagined Zuko must have felt much like she did now when he searched for the boy not so long ago. The Avatar was nowhere to be found, and no one knew where he might be. Her frustration and anger were building to the point that if someone were to say just the wrong thing, her temper would boil over.

Unfortunately for Sokka, he was just the guy to set his sister off.

"Sokka," she sighed, "I can't find Aang anywhere! Do you know where he is? It's pretty important."

Looking surprised, he answered, "He left. He went to the Earth Kingdom or something. Said it was official Avatar business. Looked pretty serious about it too." At Katara's glare he continued, "What? Didn't he tell you?"

"No! Why didn't he? Why didn't _you_ tell me?"

"Woah! Don't kill the messenger! I thought you knew. He just took off this morning."

As quickly as her anger had come, it was gone again, transformed to a deep hurt due to the fact Aang had left without telling her. Tears of sadness welled up, threatening to trickle down her face. She wiped at them, furiously dragging her hands across her face.

"Hey, Katara, you okay?" Sokka asked, unsure and awkward in how to make his sister stop _crying_. What was it with women and tears?

"No! How could he do this? The peace talks are only days away, and without him, _nothing_ will be able to be settled! He always runs from his problems, and now I have to face them for him!"

She left Sokka standing there in the hall, dumbstruck, but not for too long, as Zuko joined him seconds after her departure.

"Was that your sister?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah."

"Is she okay?"

Coming back to himself, Sokka shook his head, and replied, "Yeah, just practicing her tear bending." He rolled his eyes and chuckled at his own joke.

Shifting where he stood, the Firelord once again tries to pry more information out of his less-than-helpful friend. "What was she crying about?"

"Oh, she's just upset that Aang took off for the Earth Kingdom."

"What?" Nearly choking on his own words, Zuko goes on, "He did what now?"

"So now one told you either? ...No? Okay, so Aang told me he had some Avatar-y stuff to do."

The rage was visible in Zuko's features. Of course Aang would run once he wasn't happy where he was. He hated to put blame on Katara, but he guessed it was because she had ended things between them that the boy had left with no notice, other than the less-than-informative Sokka. Just when he thought things were starting to work out in his life, something had to come crashing down.

Zuko stormed off in much the same direction Katara had gone, once again leaving Sokka in the hallway. Zuko had some peace talks to hold, some honor to restore, and a nation to rebuild. He did _not_ have the time for some pre-pubescent boy's romance issues.

He would hunt the Avatar again if he had to. There was no question in his mind about that.

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><p><strong>Whew! Well that was long overdue! And kind of short, but ah well. My apologies. <strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.**

**Hello again! Back to work for me! Real life can be so distracting!**

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><p>"We have to go after him!" she insisted.<p>

Zuko continued what he was doing; only giving her enough acknowledgement so that she would know that he had heard her.

"Zuko! It's important! The peace talks can't happen without the Avatar. It would only lead to disaster!"

He finally stilled his movements, turning to her to give her his full attention. "Katara," he said, placing both hands on her shoulders. "First, keep quiet; it's almost night time. And second, have you even looked at what I'm doing?"

She looked at him blankly for a moment before her eyes shifted to the half way packed bag on his desk. Her eyes grew twice in size as realization dawned on her.

"Isn't it dangerous for you to go?" she asked, dumbfounded.

Zuko shook his head, a small smile dancing on his lips. "Of course it is. But it would be a whole lot more dangerous to tell everyone that Aang has left. Anyone looking for something to hold against me will say that the Avatar no longer gives his favor to the peace talks or the Fire Nation. If this is going to work, I'm going to have to keep it secret, and make it fast. Uncle already knows, he'll hold down the fort for me. If anyone asks, could you just say I'm busy with paperwork or sick?"

"What? No! I'm going with you!"

"Katara, it's not that simple."

"What makes it difficult?"

"I don't even know where he is!" The look on his face was of despair and frustration. "It's like starting all over again," he muttered.

Reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder, Katara said, "Let me help you. We can bring him back, I just know it."

"We better hope so," he said, "or we are going to have another war on our hands. "Pack your bags. We will leave as soon as you're ready."

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><p>Wind whipped Katara's unbound hair around her hair. She had only been in the small war balloons a few times before, but each time it was a rush.<p>

Zuko stood next to the furnace, a stern expression on his face. He seemed so lost in thought.

"Zuko?" Katara asked.

He turned his head to her, his eyes burning with the intensity of his gaze. "Hm?"

"Where do you want to start looking for him?"

"Well, Sokka said that he went to the Earth Kingdom, so we'll start there, listening for any word of him and where he might be," he reasoned.

Katara's eyes turned out to the sea passing below them, her mind working, trying to think of where Aang would run off to.

"_You know, Katara, I realized I had deep feelings for you at the North Pole," Aang said. "When you saved me from Zuko while I was in the spirit world, I knew you would always be there for me."_

_A knot twisted in her gut at those words. She didn't want him to say it like their relationship was so binding. _Always_ was a long time. _

_Where this seed of doubt had come from, Katara didn't know, but she tried to push it aside._

"_I think I've always been drawn to the Water Tribes. It's so open, free, and peaceful. And it's where I met you," he laughed._

"He'll be at the North Pole," Katara said with such certainty that Zuko wanted to believe her.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked.

She blushed, not wanting to share this with Zuko. "It's where Aang knew he loved me," she said so quietly, Zuko had to strain to hear.

"All right. It's a better start than the Earth Kingdom. At least smaller." He gave a halfhearted smile, not wanting to pursue the subject of Aang's love for Katara.

They let the silence hang in the air, heavy and dark. Zuko turned the balloon to the north, and hopefully the Avatar.

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><p>Zuko kept watch while Katara dozed off, noticing the temperature drop, and small chunks of ice floating in the ocean below.<p>

He shivered, and blew steam from his mouth, warming his body with firebending at the same time. Katara didn't have the luck of being a firebender, but she did have a friendly firebender who wanted to keep her warm. With his arms.

_No,_ he thought. _Blanket, blanket, blanket… Where did I put my bedroll?_

Finally pulling his bedroll out, _and_ the extra blanket he kept with it – what could he say, he liked comfort – he separated the two, returning the bedroll to his pack.

Quietly, and with more care than Zuko had exercised in eons, he draped his blanket over his sleeping friend.

She stirred only lightly, a small sigh escaping her as she settled into the warmth of the blanket Zuko had kindly placed over her.

Seeing her asleep, so peaceful, Zuko felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him. It made him stagger; he had never felt this way about another person. Katara was always so alive with emotion, it had changed him. It was only dawning on him how much.

He retreated, taking refuge on the other side of the balloon, but he could not escape his feelings, even if he shoved them to the back of his mind. He would have to face them one day. But not yet.

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><p>Katara woke, slowly peeling her eyes open. The sun was bright in the sky. How long had she been out? An hour? Three?<p>

She started to sit up, stopping when she noticed the blanket. It hadn't been there before.

"Thanks," she said quietly, hoping he heard her.

He turned, giving her a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Worry was set deep in his mind, and a mile just couldn't push it from his eyes. "I was going to wake you soon. We should reach the Northern Water Tribe in half an hour."

She nodded, her mind clearing and sharpening, preparing herself for the task ahead. She would not fail. She owed Zuko that much. He needed her; the Fire Nation needed her. She would find her friend, and bring him back to finally give peace to the world.

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><p><strong>Man it feels great to be back writing this. I missed it. Sorry for the wait! i won't be that lazy again!<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own A:tLA**

**Glad that's out of the way! Hello again, my wonderful readers! Thank you all for staying with me! And anything that has happened/will happen in the Legend of Korra has nothing to do with this story.**

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><p><strong>Reflection<strong>

Zuko sat, staring at his face, reflected perfectly back at him in the still waters of the spirit oasis. Deep lines were etched into his face from years of dark scowling. He narrowed his eyes at himself, feeling useless being trapped where he was.

He knew he would have to keep a low profile on this outing, but he had never imagined that it would include him hiding all day while Katara did all the searching. Chief Arnook had been more than welcoming to the duo, and understood their need for utmost secrecy, even allowing Zuko to take refuge in the tribe's holiest of places until other arrangements could be made.

He couldn't help but remember the first time he had been here; the Fire Nation had been attacking. It seemed so long ago, long enough to be another lifetime. A lifetime of shame that he wished he could forget.

He sat, thinking and scowling, remembering all his past misdeeds. Everything he had done wrong weighed down on his soul. It seemed he would never be freed from his demons. His past would always haunt him. Angry, he turned his head, trying to cover his scar with one of his hands. It hid his scar, but only to his eyes. His very soul was scarred; everything bad that had happened to him could be traced to the day he received his scar, and the man who had imparted it upon him. His banishment, the loss of his mother, the loss of his sister, the loss of his childhood.

But it was also the very same scar that had brought about good things. Travelling with Uncle, choosing his own destiny, teaching the Avatar, and ending a long and bloody war. He was undeniably a part of that, and not just because of his royal heritage. Becoming friends with Aang and the others had been the one good thing he could claim as his own; something he had done without harboring ulterior motives.

Zuko sighed, dropping his hand back onto his lap. His scowl eased back into a passive mask. All his accomplishments and failures, all of it, made him who he was. A man with honor.

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><p>Katara made her way back towards the spirit oasis after having spent the day with Chief Arnook. She had confided in him about Aang's disappearance, and why only she and Zuko were tracking him.<p>

He had promised to help in anyway possible, and told her he would keep his a lookout for any information on the Avatar's whereabouts, and find a way to discreetly notify her if he did find out. He had even arranged for a small hut on the edge of the city to be ready for her and Zuko to use for the night. But they had to move on. Aang wasn't here, as much as it crushed her to admit it. The feeling of confidence that had flooded her before now left her empty, and nearing despair. She had to find him; she had to fix this.

Stooping to go through the small tunnel that lead to the spirit oasis, she wished that things could for once be simple in her life.

She stood upright, having exited the tunnel into the spirit oasis. Her breath caught at the sight of Zuko staring into the water, one hand covering the left side of his face. His hand fell to rest at his side as his face cleared of emotion.

"Zuko," she breathed.

Startled, he looked up. "Hey," he said quietly.

She made her way to his side, lowering herself to the grass next to him. She gave him a look of compassion. Her eyes held no pity for him, only sadness for his pain.

"Aang isn't here."

"I thought as much. If he were, we wouldn't have been here so long," he replied.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to wait up here all day. I'm sorr-"

"Katara, it's fine. I can be patient."

She nodded, fighting the tears that threatened to escape from her eyes. She had thought that once the war was over that things would be easy in her life. It had all seemed so straightforward, but now it was a tangled mess.

He watched her try to compose herself, watched as she swallowed her fear and panic. She finally looked up into his eyes, and said, "I can fix it."

"Fix what?" he asked, confused.

"Your scar." She reached out, and placed her hand on his face, her fingertips coming to rest just under his eye. "We're in the spirit oasis. I can use the water here to heal it."

He took a deep breath, hope surging in his chest. He could finally be free from it; the horrible mark of his misdeeds forever gone from his face.

He hated everything about it. The way it looked, the horrible tightness that could never be stretched.

He could be free.

He wanted it, but he had come to accept his scar – had come to accept himself.

"No," he exhaled.

"What? But, why?" She was genuinely surprised and confused.

He opened his eyes meeting hers, and he knew. "It's a part of me now," he said simply. "Plus, if I ever change my mind, I can always drag you back up here to heal me." He smiled weakly, taking her hand off his face, and gently holding it with both of his. "Thank you, though."

She was left speechless, awed by how much he had grown in the past months.

"Arnook has a house for us to stay in for the night," was all she could supply, "but I think we should keep going. We have to find him."

"We will," he assured. "Tonight, though, we need to get some rest."

He rose, and pulled her up with him, hands still joined.

For the first time in his life, his scar wasn't his definition. He would no longer see his scar when he looked in the mirror – he would see himself.

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><p><strong>AN: I am so so so sorry for how long this took to get out. I have had a very long spring, and just now have had the time to write this out. I don't deserve all you amazing readers, but love to have you anyway! Thank you for reading, and do me a favor and leave a review, too? They make me write faster, because of how excited I get from the feedback.**


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